The Scientist
by AZillionLittleStars
Summary: Everyone was worried about Annabeth, but everyone knew there was only one person who could help her. {Percy x Annabeth}


**Title- The Scientist**

**Summary- Percy/Annabeth-Set during Mark of Athena. Everyone is worried about Annabeth. Though it is obvious there was only one person who could help her. One shot! Inspired by the song by Coldplay.**

**Disclaimer- I don't own Percy Jackson or any recognizable characters. The beginning quotes are from the song "The Scientist" by Coldplay which I do not own either.**

**A/N- Reposted, with a few changes. Hope you enjoy! :)**

* * *

**Warnings- None.  
Ratings- K-K+ **

_Nobody said it was easy||Nobody said it would be this hard_

_Oh take me back to the start_

_I was just guessing at numbers and figures_

_Pulling your puzzles apart_

_Questions of science, science and progress_

_Do not speak as loud as my heart_

Everyone was worried about Annabeth. Piper and Hazel tried the "girl talk" approach, but they barely got a word out of Annabeth. Frank tried the trivia pusuit approach and he ended up taking her turn of entertaining Coach Hedge. Leo decided against even trying, that girl was scary. Jason had tried as well but all he got in response was the complete history of a doorkob. Darn Athena kids. After all of that, it left one person. The one person who they all knew was going to be the one person who could get through to her- Percy.

Knocking on her cabin door he got no response but walked in to her cabin anyways.

"Annabeth?" Percy asked while looking around the room. She was right where he left her, sitting on her bed with her laptop and a notebook. Her skin was pale, highlighting the circles under eyes. The silver eyes he had come to know and love weren't glittering as usual just dull and hollow. Her blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun, with half of her hair hanging all over the place.

"Come on Annabeth. It has to mean something. It has to make sense." She whispered under her breath clicking on the next page explaining rare greek myths. Percy plopped down on the bed next to her and looked at her longingly.  
"Annabeth. Have you ate anything today?" He asked subconciously tucking some stray blonde hair behind her ear.

"Frank is probably with Hazel."

"Have you slept more than ten minutes?"

"Jason is resting. He's gotten a lot of head injuries. If he hits head anymore without proper recovery there could be pernament brain damage or death."  
Percy felt the anger rising up in him. He didn't want to be angry at Annabeth. She was just being...Annabeth. He was angry at himself. He couldn't even get through a normal conversation with his girfriend! She hadn't properly eaten in days and much less slept. Seeing he was getting nowhere with the conversation, he stood up.

"I'm going to go get you food."

No response.

* * *

He had returnned with a bowl of chicken noodle soup. {Leo designed the ship with the kitchen obsesseed with comfort food, not him.} Carefully setting the food down next to her, he waited for a reaction. Nothing. Deciding on his risky plan, he reached over and shut the lid to her laptop.

"Percy!" Annabeth excaimed reaching for her laptop. Percy had already set the laptop on the floor out of Annabeth's reach. Pushing the soup closer to her he gave her his best demanding voice.

"Eat it."

"I'm not hungry." Annabeth replied biting the inside of her cheek. She didn't like lying to Percy. Well, she wasn't _really _lying. She wasn't hungry, but keeping emotions from him felt just as bad as lying.

"I don't care. You haven't ate since yesterday morning. Eat it." He sounded angry, but he didn't look angry. His eyes were soft, like they were pleading for her to eat it.

"Percy, I am not going to eat it." She tried to protest, rolling her pencil in between her fingers. She had won arguments against Percy before, what was so different about this one? "I can take care of myself. You are supposed to be my boyfriend, not my dad." She snapped. She _**could**_ take of herself. She was a daughter of Athena- a genius, a fighter, a warrior. Warriors don't rely on others.

He didn't respond for a while, and Annabeth thought she won the argument. Normally she was estatic when she won arguments, or won anything, but this didn't feel good for either of them.

"This isn't the Annabeth I fell for. This isn't the Annabeth I fell," his voice cracked at the last part. "in love with." He stood up to leave.

Very little things stopped Annabeth cold, but that did. She had to blink back tears. _Warriors do not cry._

"When you find her, give me a call would you? I've been looking for her."

Percy was about to open the door and leave in a huff when he turned directions. He was still upset, but he knew he had penetrated her walls. Sitting down on her bed, he gestured for her to join him.

"Come here."

Annabeth silently obeyed, situating herself in Percy's lap. He wrapped his arms around her small waist and she sunk into his warm embrace. She forced herself to eat a bite. He looked slightly pleased put a tablespoon of soup does not make up for the nutrition she missed.  
"Eat more." He urged.

As much as Annabeth wanted to please her amazing boyfriend she couldn't. "I'll just throw it up!"

"We'll take care of that when it comes. Go on."

She ate some more, soon realizing how hungry she was. Before she even knew it she had finished the whole bowl.

"That's my girl." Percy beamed, holding her closer. They stayed like that for a little while, enjoying each other's company. Their relationship was crazy with their 500 mile-per-hour lives. They finally got together, Percy goes missing, Percy is at a Roman camp, Gaea is waking up, and Annabeth is about to embark on the journey there is an 80% chance she will die. There isn't much time for lovey-dovey cuddle time.

"Percy." Annabeth whispered, her stomach churnning. Percy obviously didn't get it so she tried again. "Percy!" She exclaimed, getting off her bed and making a B-Line to the bathroom. She didn't want him to follow her. She hated people seeing her sick, see her weak. He often refused to accomadate to Annabeth's dignity though and followed her to the bathroom. He held her hair back as she heaved in the toilet. It was mostly stomach acid considering the latest thing she ate was a bowl of soup. When she appeared to be finished, she slid against the wall for support. Unexpectedly, he walkd over and picked her up bridal style. This _really _diminished Annabeth's self-pride. She couldn't even walk. No wonder her mother basically disowned her. She wasn't a warrior.

Positioning them on the bed Annabeth placed her head in Percy's lap. She didn't speak and he didn't push her.

Annabeth was scaring Percy. She wouldn't tell him anything. She wouldn't tell **anyone **anything. If she was going to go on this quest, by herself she couldn't only be half there. She had to be on her A game so he could see her.

Alive.

* * *

She was trembling. She was trying to hide it, but he could feel it with her being so close to him. He was rubbing circles on her back but it didn't seem to be helping any. If she wasn't going to open up to him, he was hoping that she would at least get some sleep. Percy knew that was easier to say than do with the haunting nightmares, but she was exhausted. He was snapped out of his thoughts, by the soft whisper that was barely audible.

"I'm scared."

It shouldn't be such a surprise. Of course, Annabeth _should _be scared. She was basically going on a suicide mission for a statue of her mother, who hated her. _Whoopdedoo_. But Annabeth, actually admitting she was scared was a surprise. Then she surprised him further. She began to cry.

Annabeth was not much of a crier. Percy could count the number of times that he had seen Annabeth cry on a single hand. It sounded strange, but he was actually happy that Annabeth was crying. It means she was feeling _something. _She wasn't just a machine running through the motions. Pulling her closer to him, she sobbed against his chest. He whispered comforting words in her ear while smoothing out her hair.

It took a while, but Annabeth's breathing evened out and here eyes drooped close. Percy, careful not to wake her, covered her up with the blankets. Taking some of the extra bedding from the closet, he laid them out on the ground.

He couldn't guarantee that Annabeth would sleep peacefully, but he could guarantee that he would be right next to her if she didn't.


End file.
